"Maui Residents Confront Devastation as They Return Home After Deadly Wildfires"

Residents displaced by a summer wildfire in Maui were allowed to enter the burn scar to see their destroyed properties for the first time, marking a painful step towards closure. The Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire killed 97 people and destroyed over 2,000 buildings, mostly homes. The re-entry process is being carefully managed to minimize exposure to toxic dust, with officials aiming to complete the re-entries within one to two months. The fires have reignited distrust in the government's recovery effort within the Native Hawaiian community, which has long fought for a share of the state's natural resources.